Volume One, Chapter Fourteen: The Bet

Man He and Xiang Lian moved a yellow rosewood armchair to the center of the flower hall, where Shen Rong leisurely settled herself.

At the opportune moment, Man He spoke up, "Yao Niang is the concubine of the eldest young master."

"Oh, her... She insulted the head and matron of the Shen family. I was only disciplining her on behalf of Father, a minor punishment to serve as a warning. If Father had taken action himself, she wouldn't have just been thrown into the lake—she would have lost her life!"

"And what about that matter with A Xu?" Madame Meng's voice was laced with barely concealed anger and authority. "If no one had provoked him, A Xu would have known his place. How could he offend a noble and return home injured?"

Madame Meng had managed the household for years and was quite capable. As the saying goes, money makes the mare go; she had uncovered some information—those in the carriage were definitely not insignificant figures!

Shen Rong ignored Madame Meng’s veiled wrath and replied calmly, "His limbs belong to him; he’s eighteen or nineteen now and not without sense. I can't control what he wants to do. Is it unreasonable for you, dear aunt, to blame me for this? Besides, it was Shen Xu who first laid hands on me in the southern part of the city. If it weren’t for the intervention of a noble, I would have been the one returning injured! I wonder how you plan to punish your precious son this time?"

"How dare you!" Madame Meng slammed the table and shouted, "I am your elder! How dare you speak to me this way! Have you no respect? This is outrageous! And you even have the audacity to slander your brother! Today, I will teach this unruly daughter of mine a lesson on behalf of my younger brother!"

With a frown and fierce eyes, Madame Meng gestured behind her. The people she brought with her stepped forward to Shen Rong.

Man He and Xiang Lian immediately ran to stand on either side of Shen Rong’s chair, shielding her.

"My brother struck me without cause at the foot of Jing’an Temple. These are facts. If you don’t believe me, Aunt, you can take me to those noble ladies and confront them face to face! See for yourself whether I am fabricating." Shen Rong stared at Madame Meng without flinching, unafraid of her anger.

"Hmph! I know the character of my son well enough, and everyone in Huaiyang City knows your character clearly. No need for confrontation to be certain. A Xu is your eldest brother—have you ever treated him as such from childhood? Now you even bully him with outsiders... For years, I have watched over you with kindness in memory of the late Ling Mei, but you show no gratitude. How can this be tolerated?" Madame Meng listed Shen Rong’s offenses breathlessly, her eyes sharp and venomous.

"You say you’ve looked after me all these years? Madam, you must be mistaken. Age has clouded your judgment. You can't tell the eldest from the youngest anymore?" Shen Rong thought bitterly of the woman shamelessly telling lies with no shame. Just by the servants daring to slander her so blatantly yesterday, one could see how "caring" this woman had been all these years. Everything Madame Meng wore, every ornament on her head, was paid for by Father’s money.

Father’s money was hers!

"You!" Madame Meng was visibly enraged. "After injuring someone, you show no remorse and still speak arrogantly! Kneel before me!"

"I have done nothing wrong. Why should I kneel?" Shen Rong looked at her coolly. She had never knelt before anyone since birth.

"Guards! Seize this insolent girl who disrespects her elders and has injured her brother!" Madame Meng waved angrily behind her. Her eyes were merciless. Today, even if Shen Qing himself came, she wanted Shen Rong to suffer.

"Yes, madam!" The maids, nurses, and servants at the back were eager to act, rushing forward at the command. Especially Nurse Sun, who had been terrified by Shen Rong’s sudden return.

Shen Rong frowned. With this situation, no matter what she said today, this woman was prepared to take revenge. Did she not see what kind of son Madame Meng had raised? And yet she still had the nerve to blame her?

She snorted coldly, addressing the advancing crowd, "Dare to take a step forward and see how you end up. Don’t forget who the head of the Shen family is."

The crowd immediately stopped in their tracks. To harm Shen Rong today would bring the wrath of the family head upon them. The madam might just argue a bit with the family head’s elder sister, but they, the servants, would not be so lucky.

"Don’t listen to her alarmist words! Even if Shen Zheng is the family head, as the eldest sister-in-law, I can still teach his daughter a lesson!" Madame Meng’s voice sharpened. "I want to see who truly rules the inner quarters!"

No one moved. They glanced at Shen Rong’s impassive face, feeling their legs weaken, unwilling to approach. They didn't understand why Third Miss seemed more imposing today than usual; just a look from her sent chills down their spines. They exchanged glances, suddenly all hesitant.

"Why haven’t you seized her yet? Didn’t you hear me? Don’t want to live anymore?" Madame Meng realized Shen Rong was indeed different today. Could it be, as A Yu said, she had changed? Her gaze darkened. No matter what, she would punish this defiant girl today or else how could she maintain authority!

The servants shivered. After all, they depended on the madam for their livelihood. Several of Madame Meng’s personal maids and nurses exchanged a determined look and lunged forward to grab Shen Rong. Their movements were swift and coordinated, clearly experienced. These nurses were burly and capable of some fighting skills. In moments, they reached Shen Rong.

"Miss, run!" Xiang Lian stood before Shen Rong, pushing her outward with force.

At that moment, the attendants from the Rongyin Pavilion also came to shield Shen Rong. Though frightened, they stood in front of her, anxiously urging, "Miss, please leave quickly!"

"What a loyal bunch of servants! Such rebellion, even defying my wishes! Seize them all!" Madame Meng shouted.

"Step aside!" Shen Rong lightly pushed away Xiang Lian, Man He, and the others shielding her, feeling a faint warmth in her heart. Although the attackers were quick, their movements were chaotic. She snorted. People like these dared to seize her?

She lived by the principle of solving problems with action when words failed.

Several swift kicks followed, and the flower hall filled with cries of pain. The attackers fell to the ground clutching their limbs, unable to rise.

Especially Nurse Gui, who had just slapped Xiang Lian. She lay on the floor like a floundering fish, clutching her belly and swollen face—quite a pathetic sight.

Madame Meng’s expression darkened further. "Shen Rong! How dare you resist and hurt my people?"

"I told you, I did nothing wrong. Why wait to be caught?" Shen Rong’s eyes grew cold as she wiped her tingling palms.

"I am the one who manages the Shen household! You must answer to me!" Madame Meng was brazen, squinting. "Without me and A Yu, would your father have been able to work peacefully all these years? And you, always running around recklessly, never understanding the hardships of managing the household. Without our main branch, who knows what chaos the Shen family would fall into? The house could be emptied without your father even knowing! This mess called the Shen family—anyone else would be reluctant to manage it! You’d better hope I live a long life!"

"Thank you for your concern. To ensure you live longer, dear aunt, perhaps you should return the household management to me. I’m almost of age now. It would avoid trouble if the handover happens before then," Shen Rong said lightly.

Madame Meng’s words felt like a fist hitting cotton. She was momentarily stunned. She stared at Shen Rong’s face and suddenly realized this wild girl was indeed different.

Even A Yu, whom she had raised since childhood, might not face today’s situation with such composure and calm.

For a moment, the woman before her seemed to merge with the image of the cool, distant girl she remembered, causing her heart to jump sharply.

Seeing no sign of retreat in Shen Rong’s challenging gaze, Madame Meng narrowed her eyes. This defiant girl refused to yield.

Her air of superiority remained unmistakable. "Household management is no trivial matter. It’s not something just anyone can do."

Ridiculous.

She held the entire inner quarters firmly in her palm and had established her authority for years. Every servant obeyed her. Even if she handed over management to Shen Rong, that brat, within three months it would be returned in disgrace.

Last night A Yu told her this girl seemed interested in managing the household, and she had scoffed. A Yu, so clever and meticulous, had only helped her for over a year. Shen Rong was careless and rough—no one’s idea of a housekeeper. Moreover, her younger uncle was a man unfamiliar with managing the inner quarters, and this wild girl couldn’t sit still. The idea of her managing the household was pure fantasy.

"Aunt, would you like to bet? If I lose, I will accept any wager you set. But... if I win, the household management will pass to me."

"If within three months you learn to manage the household and bring the servants to heel, I will hand over the household management to you," Madame Meng stood and looked down at the woman reclining in the expensive yellow rosewood armchair. Her eyes were resolute. "Otherwise, you will kneel before the entire Shen family and apologize to me, apologize to A Xu, and apologize to Yao Niang! From then on, the household management will be ours alone! You will not mention it again. All expenses in your courtyard must be approved by our main branch. No decisions may be made without our permission!"

"Agreed."